Statements from Brown & Chertoff

Our government, at all levels and of all political persuasions, is incompetent. Period.

 

You don't just snap you fingers and all the National Guard soldiers show up at the right place with the right equipment.

It could take days just to contact all the troops in a detachment, let alone prepare them to deploy.

We have to be realistic about these things.

 

For some reason I was under the impression that the purpose of FEMA was to be prepared to respond to this sort of thing.

What good is Emergency Management if it isn't prepared to handle the contingencies that arise with Managing Emergencies?

Like I said, someone has to be held accountable. </font>[/QUOTE]I'm not too sure what all of FEMA's responsibilities and powers are, but no matter how loud they scream or what they demand, their demands and screaming won't overcome the logistics of locating the members of and moving a military unit. Takes time.

 

Do we not have a standing miltary that can spring into action immediately?

 

From a law enforcement standpoint, there are some problems with "posse comitatus".

Civil disorder in a disaster like this slows down rescue efforts immensely.

 

Yeah, but they are currently busy tending to the matters in the Middle East.

Why would then not know that people are dying at the convention center until Thursday?? They knew that over 100,000 people did not evacuate, and that less than 20,000 were at the Superdome, where did they think the other 80,000+ people were? This whole situation just shows how unprepared our government at every level is. I am sure the terrorist are taking notes on our incompetence as they plan their march across our unprotected borders.

 

Has anyone on this Forum ever tried to work with the Federal Bureaucracy? I have!

 

JGrubbs:

"Why would then not know that people are dying at the convention center until Thursday?? They knew that over 100,000 people did not evacuate, and that less than 20,000 were at the Superdome, where did they think the other 80,000+ people were? This whole situation just shows how unprepared our government at every level is. I am sure the terrorist are taking notes on our incompetence as they plan their march across our unprotected borders."

Do the citizens of LA have ANY responsibility?

 

Have you ever been in the military?

 

Yes, and those who are not actin responsible and doing the looting, raping and rioting need to be dealt with, but they only make up a very small minority of those who did not evacuate. The majority are there because they could not evacuate. Have you ever been in the path of a hurricane with no money to pay for gas even if you wanted to evacuate? I have, and the majority of those in New Orleans have. The authorities told them to go to the convention center last Tuesday, then the authorities were no were to be found while those citizens were left to die.

 

All this would have taken was an executive order on Tuesday ordering troops for immediate dispatch in the stricken region. If the looters had been stopped supplies would have held out till Friday.

Are we supposed to rest easily knowing that if a city is attacked by terrorists it will four days to get troops there to deal with it? They could conquer the whole city by then. That is supposed to make Americans sleep well in their beds?

 

One of the specific duties of the National Guard is to preserve the laws of the state when normal law enforcement agencies can't.

Such is not the case with the U.S. Army. They can help only under certain conditions or they run afoul of "posse comitatus". Federal troops can only be deployed after a request from the Governor and then for only ten days. (Stafford Act)

Does anyone know if the Governor specifically requested intervention of federal troops?

 

Scenario:

American terrorists begin setting off bombs in a major US city.

The president waits politely for the Governor to ask for help?

Then it takes 3 days for the help to arrive?

 

Your anger is understandable but you're going a little over the top.

We are still a nation of laws. You don't like it , change the law. There are people standing in line to impeach the President. All he has to do is start breaking the law.

Although, in the case you specifically requested, how do we know whether it's "American" terrorists or foreign. Federal troops are authorized to act against foreign forces at the command of the President. I would imagine, in the case you presented, it would be "assumed" they were "foreign".

Otherwise, according to the Stafford Act, the President has to declare the area a disaster and the governor has to request federal troops. Of course, the Governor can deploy his own National Guad troops as he sees fit.

At least , that's my limited understanding of "Posse Comitatus" and the Stafford Act.

 

I heard on the television today that out of the 1,500 members of the NO police department, 1,000 of them left after the flooding started, that left only 500 police to work with the handfull of LA National Guard in the first few days. If the Governor didn't request additional National Guard troops the question that needs to be asked is why? Everyone knew that this was going to be a devestating event, everyone knew that over 100,000 would be left behind, last year with hurricane Ivan they were saying to get 10,000+ body bags ready. This should not have caught anyone off guard at any level of government, local, state or federal.

 

There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum. There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum. There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum. There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum. There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum. There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum. There are no Bush Haters on this Christian Forum. There moderators, seven penances!

 

I won't play your little game.

I will remind you, once again, that some adults can disagree with someone without hating him.